How hot does your turkey fryer get?

[Tazlaw]

So I finally got a thermometer. I was measuring the temp of my melted range scrap and it hovered at 750*F on the bottom of the pot (inside). Pot is a propane cylinder cut into. This is heated by a standard turkey fryer. The temp would drop to about 700*F about an inch from the bottom. Based on these one time measurements, it appears this is a good set up for wheel weights. Since zinc melts at 767*F and they float to the top, zinc weights would never melt in my pot!

The logic seems sound. Where am I doing something wrong? How hot do your pots get?

Taz

[ioon44]

My turkey fryer/propane cylinder set up, if I don't keep a close watch on it can hit 900 deg F and will melt zinc, I try to keep it under 750 F.

[lightman]

The one that you saw us using will easily melt zinc. About a year and a half ago I melted some reclaimed shot with a buddy. It was slower to melt than anything else that I ever melted. It was heavily oxidized and coated in graphite, with both of them acting as an insulator. I measured 1000º at the bottom of the pot with unmelted shot still on top of the melt.

I strongly encourage you to hand sort your weights. Some extra time on the front end may save you from some contaminated lead someday.

[Harter66]

I have an old camp chief rated at 100,000 btu vs the Walmart specials at 35-40,000 if I it turn it up it will make 80# of range jacketed 70# of ready to ingot in about 45 minutes and easily overrun good temps .

[Rcmaveric]

Erm, mine gets hot enough to make the steel glow. I melt zinc on it all the time. Intentional of course in it's own separate pot.

Did accidentally make some lead glow once.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[kevin c]

There are claims by vendors that my Bayou Classic double jet burner with a 20 psi regulator will crank out 367000 BTU's. Even so, it melts range scrap best when insulated and with a good wind shield around it. I didn't trust my ability to control the temp, so the one time I did wheel weights in it, every single one got checked with dykes.

[Dragonheart]

Unless you like buying propane I would suggest putting a skirt around your pot as it will cut the melting time in half. the skirt can be welded, bolted or riveted on.

258321

[gwpercle]

Don't bet on the zinkers not melting and floating until you can skim them all off ...sounds good on paper and in theory that will work...but in real life...it don't .
Sort them out then melt.

With a propane burner the temperature of the melt will vary wildly , air temperature and wind are big factors .
Gary

[Tazlaw]

Unless you like buying propane I would suggest putting a skirt around your pot as it will cut the melting time in half. the skirt can be welded, bolted or riveted on.

258321

Is a skirt and a wind screen the same thing? I do have a wind screen that I sit around the pot.

[Dragonheart]

Don't bet on the zinkers not melting and floating until you can skim them all off ...sounds good on paper and in theory that will work...but in real life...it don't .
Sort them out then melt.

With a propane burner the temperature of the melt will vary wildly , air temperature and wind are big factors .
Gary

I won't ask how you know this!

[gwpercle]

I won't ask how you know this!

Another member or two tried it and ruined a big pot of WW alloy. He couldn't get them all out , missed a few and the zinkers melted before they were supposed to. I try to learn the easy way now...getting wiser. I always sort my weights , go through each and every one testing them with side cutters and/or a file ... I don't know why some have such a problem doing it...it's not hard to do and it weeds out the zinkers .
Gary

[RydForLyf]

Hot enough to melt lead, and I don’t let it get any hotter. As lead is melting, temps will stay low and zinc won’t melt. As soon as you can spoon off clips and floating weights you missed in your sorting. I never measure temps because all I’m looking for is molten lead. As soon as all the trash is removed, I reduce the heat and start ladling it into muffin pan.

I guess I’m lucky, but I’ve never melted a zinc weight.

[Dragonheart]

I have had success in removing enough zinc from a large block of contaminated alloy a friend gave me to make the alloy useable. I used fine ground copper sulfate stirred into the mix then removed the dross. Actually, the mix ended up being considerably harder as I would assume it now contained some copper. It did well in casting rifle bullets.